‘Family meal’ with four iconic chefs

In the 1980s, a culinary revolution occurred in New York City. While the movement was larger than just a few people, there are a handful of chefs that greatly influenced the course of fine dining – and by extension, all dining – in the city. CNN Travel recently gathered four of these influential chefs for a ‘family meal’ where they discussed this sea change. The video features Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Jacques Torres. 

Because New York drives cultural trends far beyond its borders, this revolution advanced to all corners of the U.S. The roots of this movement can be traced to France with the introduction of nouvelle cuisine. Daniel Boulud, the first of this cadre of young chefs to come to New York, says, “We were all sort of students of the nouvelle cuisine in France, and we came here and said ‘well, it’s time to change everything.”

The fifteen-minute video explores the 30-year relationship between the chefs, providing interesting glimpses into their friendship. For instance, we learn the nicknames that some of the chefs give to others, plus tidbits about how growing up in France made them appreciate fresh, high-quality ingredients.

We also get insight into the cooking philosophy of each chef and find out what inspired them to become involved in the restaurant industry. In addition to the video, you can read bios about each of the chefs on the site.